Clamping arrangement for sink structure



Feb. 13, 1962 M. J. JUST CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR SINK STRUCTURE FiledDec. 15, 1960 United States Patent Ofifice 3,920,563 Patented Feb. 13,1962 3,020,563 CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR SINK STRUCTURE Matyas-J. Just,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Just Manufacturing Company, a corporation ofIllinois Filed Dec. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 75,997 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-187) Thisinvention relates to a sink and drainboard structure and particularly toan improved clamping arrangement for attaching a sink to a drainboard.

A prime object of this invention is to provide an improved clampingstructure for connecting a sink to a drainboard without the necessity ofutilizing a separate attaching ring such as is used in conventionaldesigns.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved clarnpingstructure for connecting a sink within the opening of a drainboard, theclamping structure being efiective to tightly clamp the sink rim againstthe drainboard to prevent leakage and being simple in design whereby aninstaller can quickly and efiiciently perform the installing procedure.I

Another object of the invention is to provide an efiective clampingstructure for clamping a sink bowl and rim to a drainboard, the clampingstructure including horizontally adjustable clamping elements attachedto the underneath side of the rim so that the clamping elements can behorizontally adjusted and secured in a number of positions wherebyeifective clamping and sealing of the rim structure of the bowl isachieved with respect to the drainboard.

A more specific object is the provision of a simplified and improvedclamping structure for attaching a sink bowl and rim to a drainboard,the said clamping structure including channel-shaped members havinginwardly directed hook portions and including a plurality of clampingelements having prongs engageable with the hook portions and beingarranged to be drawn downwardly with respect to the drainboard fortightly securing the rim structure of the sink against the upper surfaceof the said drainboard.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from a readingof the description when examined in connection with the accompanyingsheet of drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a drainboard and sink arrangement;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view when looking upwardly against the drainboardand sink installation shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIGURE 1; and I FIGURE 4 is an enlarged exploded view inperspective showing an improved clamping structure for attaching a sinkwithin the opening of the drainboard.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2a sink arrangement is generallydesignated by the reference character It). The sink arrangementcomprises a drainboard 11 having a rectangular opening 12. Thedrainboard ll consists of conventional construction including a plast ictop 14 and including suitable laminations 15 having connected thereto alower plastic bottom 16.

A sink or lavatory construction is generally designated at 17 andcomprises an upper surface 18 and a bottom surface 19. The sink 17 alsoincludes a bowl 20 having sides 21 and an outlet 21'. A rim 22 is formedintegrally with the upper and bottom surfaces 18 and 19 and extendsaround the bowl 20 the said rim 22 having an underneath surface 23 andincluding a peripherally extending bead 24 which as best shown in FIGURE3, engages the upper plastic top 14 of the drainboard 11.

i is secured to the drainboard 11 by means of a mounting The sinkstructure above described is conventional and assembly or arrangementgenerally designated at 25 and best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Themounting assembly 25 comprises a plurality of channel brackets 26 whichas shown in FIGURE 2 are elongated and are suitably secured to theunderneath side 23 of the rim 22 and also to the bottom surface 19. Eachchannel bracket may be suitably connected by brazing, welding or othersecuring means to the underneath surface 23 of the rim 22 as desired.Each channel bracket 26 is of V or generally U-shaped design andincludes a pair of connected flanges 27 and 28, the flanges 27 beingsecured to the underneath side 23 of the rim 22 and the flange 28projecting downwardly and in relatively right angle relation withrespect to the flanges 27. The flanges 27 and 28 each have a lip 29integral therewith the said lips extending inwardly toward each otherand being laterally spaced to provide an elongated slot on each of thebrackets 26.

An L-shaped securing member, is best shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4, and isgenerally designated by the reference character 30. As shown in FIGURES1 and 2 a plurality of the L-shaped securing members 30 are disposed onthe brackets 26 in horizontally spaced relation as desired in order tosecure eflicient and adequate clamping of the sink 17 to the drainboard11. Each L-shaped securing member, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, includesa vertical leg 31 and a horizontal leg 32. The horizontal leg 32includes a vertically extending thread ed or tapped hole 33 which isdisposed in laterally spaced relation with respect to' the vertical leg31. A screw 34 is threadedthrough the tapped hole'33 and includesat itslower end a screw driver slot 35. The upper end of the screw is providedwith a suitable clamping head or pad 36 which engages the plastic bottom16.

The upper end of the vertical leg 31 is provided with a head havingprongs 37 projecting outwardly with re spect thereto, the said prongs 37each including a flat edge 38 which engages the lips 29 in hook-likeengagement. The uppermost prong 37, as shown in FIGURE 3, is alsoprovided with a flat upper edge 40, which being substantially parallelto the flange 27, will engage the underneath side of the flange 27 whenthe screw 34 is tightened to restrain the securing members 30 frompivoting on the seat 29, so as to maintain the position thereof asshown.

During the assembly of the sink 17 to the drainboard 11 it is simplematter to insert the heads 37 through the slots of the brackets 26 andthen by simply turning the brackets 30 to the position shown in FIGURE 3the prongs 37 are engaged with the lips 29 and the clamping elements arepositioned and secured. The clamping elements now, of course, can belongitudinally or horizontally adjusted as desired to the properposition so as to elfectuate tight clamping engagement of the rimportion 24 with respect to the drainboard 11. When the clamping elementshave been placed in the proper horizontal position it is a simple matterto insert a screw driver in the screwdriver slot 35 and by tighteningthe screw 34 and pad 36 against the plastic bottom 16-the clampingelements 30 will be urged downwardly thus drawing the rim portion 24downwardly in tight clamping and sealing engagement with respect to theplastic top 14. In the untightened position of the securing members 30,the flat edges 38 will engage the lips 29 to retain the securing members30 on the brackets 26. When the screw 34 is tightened, there is ofcourse a tendency for s 3 Thus it is obvious that an effective andpositive clamping arrangement for a sink structure has been described.It must, of course, be understood that changes and modifications may bemade which do not depart from the spirit of the invention as disclosed.or from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sink structure including a drainboard having an upper surfaceand having an opening, a sink positioned within said opening, said sinkincluding a bowl and a horizontal rim extending around said bowl, saidrim having an edge portion engaging the upper surface of saiddrainboard; a clamping structure for securing said sink to saiddrainboard comprising a plurality of elongated brackets connected tosaid rim and projecting downwardly within said opening, said bracketsbeing substantially coextensive with said rim, each bracket being of V-shape including a first flange extending horizontally with and beingconnected to said rim and a second flange projecting downwardly withrespect to said rim, each of said flanges having lips projectinginwardly toward each other and diagonally with respect to said first andsecond flanges and being relatively laterally spaced to provideelongated slots in said channels, a plurality of securing clampsconnected to said channels, each clamp including an L-shaped memberhaving a horizontal leg and a vertical leg connected thereto, saidhorizontal leg having a vertical threaded opening, a vertical threadedfastener in each opening and adapted to engage the underneath side ofsaid drainboard, an engaging head on each vertical leg, said headincluding opposed outwardly extending prongs insertable through saidslots, said prongs having edges extending diagonally relative to saidflanges and engaging said lips within said channels to be retainedtherein, said prongs including means engageable with said first flangeduring tightening of said fastener to retain L-shaped member in positionwhereupon tightening of said fastener said sink is secured to saiddrainboard.

2. In a sink structure including a drainboard having an upper surfaceand having an opening, a sink positioned within said opening, said sinkincluding a bowl and a horizontal rim extending around said bowl, saidrim having an edge portion engaging the upper surface of saiddrainboard; a clamping structure for securing said sink to saiddrainboard comprising a plurality of brackets connected to said rim andprojecting downwardly within said opening, each bracket being of*V-shape including a first flange extending horizontally with and beingconnected to said rim and a second flange projecting downwardly withrespect to said rim, each of said flanges having lips projectinginwardly toward each other and diagonally with respect to said first andsecond flanges, and being relatively laterally spaced to provide slotsin said channels, a plurality of securing clamps connected to saidchannels, each clamp including an L-shaped member having a horizontalleg and a vertical leg connected thereto, said horizontal leg having avertical threaded opening, a vertical threaded fastener in each openingand adapted to engage the underneath side of said drainboard, anengaging head on each vertical leg, said head including opposedoutwardly extending prongs insertable through said slots, said prongshaving edges extending diagonally relative to said flanges and engagingsaid lips within said channels to be retained therein, said prongsincluding means engageable with said first flange during tightening ofsaid fastener to retain L-shaped member in position whereupon tighteningof said fastener said sink is secured to said drainboard.

3. In a sink structure including a drainboard having an upper surfaceand having an opening, a sink positioned within said opening, said sinkincluding a bowl and a horizontal rim extending around said bowl, saidrim having an edge portion engaging the upper surface of saiddrainboard; a clamping structure for securing said sink to saiddrainboard comprising a plurality of brackets connected to said rim andprojecting downwardly within said opening, each bracket being of V-shapeincluding a first flange extending horizontally with and being connected-to said rim and a .second flange projecting downwardly with respect tosaid rim, each of said flanges having lips projecting inwardly towardeach other and diagonally with respect to said first and second flanges,and being relatively laterally spaced to provide slots in said channels,a plurality of securing clamps connected to said channels, each clampincluding an L-shaped member having .a horizontal leg and a vertical legconnected thereto, said horizontal leg having a clamping fasteneradapted to engage the underneath side of said drainboard, an engaginghead on each vertical leg, said head including .opposed outwardlyextending prongs insertable through said slots, said prongs having edgesextending diagonally relative to said flanges and engaging said lipswithin said channels to be retained therein, said prongs including meansengageable with said first flange during tightening of said fastener toretain L-shaped member in position whereupon tightening of said fastenersaid sink is $6- cured to said drainboard.

4. In a sink structure including a drainboard having a flat surfaceincluding an opening, a sink including a rim and a bowl, said bowl beingpositioned within said opening, a portion of said rim engaging said flatsurface around said opening; a clamping structure for clamping said rimportion tightly against said drainboard surface to retain said bowlwithin said opening comprising, a plurality of brackets connected to therim between the opening and said bowl and projecting downwardly, eachbracket including legs relatively disposed in generally V- shapedfashion and having lip portions projecting diagonally relative to saidlegs toward each other and being laterally spaced to provide a slot oneach bracket, a clamp having a portion extending vertically and including a head portion at its upper end insertable through each slot, saidhead including projecting hooks having portions complementing andengaging said lips, screw type fastening means associated with saidvertical portion and adapted to engage said drainboard during tighteningand to urge said clamp downwardly whereby said rim portion is tightlyclamped on said drainboard, and means on said hooks engaging said lipsand said legs within said brackets to restrain said vertical portionagainst pivotal movement during tightening of said fastening means.

Domestic Engineering, page 62. May 1958.)

